The BlueRibbon Coalition is a nationwide organization representing over 500,000 motorized recreationists and resource users (This figure represents the combined memberships of our member organizations.Our paid membership is 5,000). We work with land managers to provide recreation opportunities, preserve resources, and promote cooperation with other public land users.

Organized in 1987, the BRC has successfully combined the strength of the snowmobile, 4X4, ATV and off-highway motorcycle community into a potent team. Snowmobilers in Illinois get involved in issues affecting motorcyclists in the California desert. 4X4 enthusiasts from Georgia help protect snowmobiling in and around Yellowstone Park. OHV interests in Utah, work with rock hounds (who use off highway vehicles in their activities) to block an outrageous Wilderness proposal in their state.

Our efforts are currently organized into four divisions: Public Policy, Land Use, Communications and Membership. These divisions are overseen by a Board of Directors, who also elect line officers and an executive board. Following is additional information on the activities of the four divisions.

PUBLIC POLICY

The BlueRibbon Coalition, by participating in the political process, has been able to advance opportunities for motorized recreation. Many bills are proposed each year that threaten recreation access and other multiple uses. We respond to these threats. We work with our member organizations on Wilderness bills and other legislation that would negatively impact balanced recreation and resource use. We organize letter writing and testify at hearings in opposition to these proposals. We mobilize broad based opposition to threats to any individual group. We stress unity. Our highly effective national network reaches activists in nearly every Congressional District. Regional issues now have a national constituency.

For too long the multiple use community's political action has been primarily reactive. This unfortunate era in political action ended with the passage of the National Recreational Trail Fund Act (NRTFA). For the first time, the Federal Government recognized the need to provide recreational facilities that include motorized recreationists, set aside money to do so, and established a balanced committee to oversee the expenditures. The BlueRibbon Coalition took a leadership role in advancing this legislation. We organized support among the recreation and multiple use communities, as well as among state recreation administrators. The passage of the National Recreational Trails Fund Act was a major proactive victory for recreation and multiple use.

LAND USE

Our land use program works directly with providers to maintain and expand trails and roads for motorized and equestrian recreation. While we work extensively with federal public land managers, we also work with agencies in states where there is little public land. We promote multiple use and cooperation among users. We seek to eliminate user conflict as a basis for discriminatory land management decisions. Our Public Lands Director makes sure recreationists are treated fairly and equally. Working with our member organizations, we have had many successes in preventing closures and even reversing land management decisions. We promote cooperation with resource industries, wise use of the resources, and cooperation among users.

We participate in processes that determine the national direction of land management policy. We attend national conferences, representing the interests of motorized recreation. We maintain contact with national public land managers and decision makers as well as with members of Congress who affect public lands policy. In these national based efforts, we are working toward a change in national policy that promotes balanced recreation and improves motorized recreation opportunity.

The Public Lands Director contributes a regular column in BlueRibbon Magazine describing problems as well as the successful resolution of recreation issues as they have occurred in specific parts of the country. It discusses ways to work with land managers, and educates users about the land management planning process.

COMMUNICATIONS

BlueRibbon Magazine

The primary means of communications for the BlueRibbon Coalition is BlueRibbon Magazine (circulation 15,000). The Coalition has full editorial and circulation control of the publication. The magazine, though political in nature, contains a good mix of articles and is entertaining and readable. We strive for geographic and interest group balance.

BlueRibbon is also distributed to:

* U.S. Congress. This assisted us in our work with Senator Steve Symms (R-ID) on the National Recreation Trails Fund Act in 1990 & 1991 and with Senator Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID) on funding for this program in 1995. Patterned after OHV funds successful in several states, this law sets aside a portion of the federal gas tax for trails and facilities for all recreationists in all the states.

* Natural resource departments of all major Universities. This contact has resulted in the incorporation of OHV management information, for the first time, in a textbook written by one of our university contacts. It has also resulted in the development of a (pilot project) OHV management curiculum at one of these Universities.

* Offices of federal and state land management agencies. This has influenced the selection of several OHV representatives to serve on BLM resource advisory councils. It has also resulted in a letter from the Chief of the USFS to all regional offices stressing the importance of management "for" motorized recreation.

* Other multiple use organizations. We network with an extensive list of regional and national multiple use and property rights organizations. Through BlueRibbon these organizations gain a better understanding of our recreation concerns. This promotes broader support for our recreation access to both public and private lands. By reading BlueRibbon Magazine, these opinion leaders have become informed about the needs of recreationists outside their usual geographic and interest areas.

Fax network

We developed and use a fax network that ties our members and supporters nationwide together in instant communication. Legislative alerts and information on fast-breaking issues are immediately in the hands of activists in every Congressional District. This fax network was crucial in our work for the passage of the National Recreational Trail Fund Act. It continues to be invaluable for both national and regional issues.

Internet

Both our Public Lands Director and Executive Director utilize e-mail for distribution of information to an expanding group of OHV enthusiasts and multiple use activists on the Internet via Compuserve and MCI Mail. Much of this information is then uploaded to internet "web sites" for even wider distribution.

Press releases and guest columns

Press releases are sent to newspapers, national enthusiast and general interest magazines and other media. Guest columns and articles from the BlueRibbon Coalition Executive Director and Public Lands Director are regular features in member club newsletters.

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

The BlueRibbon Coalition has developed a unique program of assisting members and member organizations in advancing their recreation opportunities. This program helps increase recreation opportunities across the nation, as well as increase our membership numbers and influence.

A member business or organization receives a video, three magazine subscriptions, a membership pin, networking information on other members in the area, a congressional directory, and ssistance on land use issues. By our unity, our network, and by making our members more politically aware, we enhance the influence of each member organization.

Individual members receive a logo pin, motto sticker and subscription to BlueRibbon. The primary benenfit to all our members is the personal satisfaction of being part of the BlueRibbon team, protecting our recreation access.

CONCLUSION

The BlueRibbon Coalition works to protect and expand recreation opportunities while conserving natural resources. As a member of the multiple use community, we represent recreation. Through our participation in the political and land management arenas, we improve the perception of motorized recreation. We are a true coalition, a collection of different interests who have common cause in improving access and balanced use of natural resources. As a coalition, we have achieved political success and recognition, and will use this strength to meet future challenges. Working with land managers, our natural resource industries and diverse recreation interests, the BlueRibbon Coalition "Preserves our natural resource FOR the public instead of FROM the public."

The cover story usually highlights a local issue of national concern. The magazine has become the vehicle that local groups use to stimulate national interest in threats to their recreation and resource use. It has also become the means by which local victories are publicized and celebrated. BlueRibbon Magazine is distributed not only to our members, but to every member of Congress, many state legislators and recreation directors, the recreation departments of all the major universities in the country and to most Forest Service and BLM land managers. The BlueRibbon Magazine has been instrumental in unifying the motorized recreation community, establishing a close and cooperative relationship with the multiple use community, and has educated land managers, educators and legislators about motorized recreation and multiple use.

For information about the BlueRibbon Coalition call 1 (800) BLUE-RIB